Business profile: Naperville's Happy Times Preschool

Pair of sisters take over preschool, build relationships with families

December 29, 2013

Sisters Elizabeth Owen-Linahon and Sandra Owen-Garcia took ownership of Happy Times Preschool this past summer. (Happy Times Preschool)

Name of owners: Sandra Owen-Garcia and Elizabeth Owen-Linahon

Ages: 37 and 33

Hometown: St. Charles

Name of business: Happy Times Preschool

Describe what you do/sell/serve:

We are a family-owned and -run private preschool serving families with children ages 2 to 6. We offer full-day and half-day programs that provide parents a flexible schedule. We are currently enrolling for the winter session beginning in January. Open enrollment for the 2014-2015 school year will begin at the end of January.

When did you open your business?

We purchased the existing business and took over operation in June 2013. The school has been in business since the early 1960s.

What sets you apart from similar businesses?

We are two sisters each with two young children. We understand the anxiety that comes with selecting the right school for your children. We provide a traditional, nurturing and safe environment where children have a sense of community and belonging. We pride ourselves on the relationships we have with our families. We don't need a big school to do great things. Because we are smaller, we can give more small group and individual attention.

What qualifications or characteristics do you have to operate this type of business?

We have the combined experience of more than 25 years working as preschool teachers, and we dedicated our younger years to extensive undergraduate and graduate school education in the early childhood field.

Why did you decide to open your business in Naperville?

With Naperville's population and demographics, we believe we can build and sustain a large client base for years. Naperville has an endless number of opportunities for adults to get out of the house with their children, and the neighborhoods are quiet and beautiful. We believe adults with young children gravitate to these types of communities to raise their children.

Why did you pick this specific location/storefront?

We are located on a quiet neighborhood street, something that has been lost over the years in the preschool industry. Our amazing playground and yard offers nature at its best, and it is like being at home.

What obstacles did you find when you started?

Maintaining existing customers who had grown used to the previous teachers and were comfortable with things the way they were. Fortunately for us, we were able to retain three teachers and five families who seemed excited about what we had to offer. We are thankful and appreciative they gave us a chance. Now, we have more than 25 kids enrolled and the number of families interested for summer and fall 2014 is rapidly growing.

If you could offer local officials one piece of advice to make Naperville more attractive to entrepreneurs, what would it be?

Low cost advertising opportunities for start-ups are difficult to find if and when they are available. With low revenue and trying to keep costs to a minimum, it is difficult to get the word out that you are open for business without spending hundreds of dollars.

What mistakes did you make?

Nothing too overwhelming, perhaps we underestimated the costs of operating a business or how we handled the ownership changeover with the customers that left us, but we have been fortunate in this regard.

What did you do right?

We stayed positive every day and continued to do what we do best, teach preschool and provide high-quality care. The phones have been ringing ever since.

What advice would you give to someone else looking to open a business in Naperville?

Know your business and your customers. Great reviews and word of mouth are big.

What are your hours/address/phone number/Web site:

We are open from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday from September to May. We also offer summer camp from June to mid-August. We are located at 420 W. Gartner Road, can be reached at 630-355-8282 and our Web site is http://www.thehappytimespreschool.com.